Which U.S. Disney park reigns supreme? Loyal Walt Disney World fans balk at the idea of deigning to visit the, in their minds, inferior Disneyland. Meanwhile those loyal to the original Disney park may visit Florida's Disney World for its additional offerings of Disney's Hollywood Studios, Disney's Animal Kingdom, and Epcot, but they argue Disneyland and its neighboring California Adventure Park are far superior. Disney World is bigger than Disneyland by two theme parks and two water parks. But does the opening of Cars Land and other recent additions in Anaheim change things? It's time for a Disney throw down!

Since 2008, the Disneyland Resort has undergone its most significant expansion since the opening of the California Adventure Park. This July the beloved fictional town of Radiator Springs from Disney-Pixar's Cars movies was brought to life in Cars Land. It is home to three rides, new retail stores, a trio of eateries, Cars character meet-and-greets and a nightly dance party.

A completely redesigned entrance to California Adventure, named Buena Vista Street, also debuted this summer. It was built with a theme of 1920s Los Angeles, when Walt Disney stepped off a train from Kansas City with a cardboard suitcase and $40 in his pocket. Visitors find one ride here, the Red Car Trolley, as well as numerous merchandise and food offerings. The area's centerpiece is Cathay Circle Restaurant and Lounge, inspired by the theater where the first feature-length animated film, "Snow White," made its cinematic debut.

About the additions, Jennifer Miner, co-author of The Vacation Gals blog, says, "From Buena Vista Street's sense of 1920s optimism to Cars Land's sense of scale and the feeling of being swept into a 1950s road trip through the American Southwest, the thrill of complete immersion into a nostalgic Disney-fied recent American past has to be experienced to be believed."

The Silly Symphony Swings ride, Games of the Boardwalk (with Disney-themed prizes), and the incomparable "World of Color" nighttime water, light and fire spectacle are just a few other notable attractions added to the California Adventure Park over the past few years, none of which can be found in Orlando.

Hollywood Studios vs. California Adventure Park

Of the Florida parks, Hollywood Studios is most similar to the California Adventure Park. Attractions the two parks share in common include the Tower of Terror, Toy Story Midway Mania, Disney Junior Live on Stage, and Jim Henson's Muppet Vision 3D. Whereas Hollywood Studios offers a live musical production Voyage of the Little Mermaid, California Adventure competes with the Little Mermaid-Ariel's Undersea Adventure Ride, added in 2011.

Not yet mentioned stand-outs found only at California Adventure are "a bug's land" with three tot-friendly rides, Mickey's Fun Wheel (a Ferris wheel with swinging gondolas), and the California Screamin' thrill-ride coaster.

Magic Kingdom vs. Disneyland

While Orlando's Magic Kingdom and Anaheim's Disneyland share many fantastical offerings, you might be surprised to learn how many differences there are between the parks.

There are a few attractions that are similar yet different at both. For example, at Disneyland there is Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln and Tarzan's Treehouse, while at Disney World there is the Hall of Presidents and the Swiss Family Treehouse. Visitors to the Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland can walk through the attraction to view miniature vignettes featuring Princess Aurora and the evil Maleficent while Disney World-goers can dine like royalty at the much larger Cinderella Castle. Also, Tom Sawyer Island is more expansive in Florida than the California equivalent, Pirate's Lair on Tom Sawyer Island.

And then there's the expanded Fantasyland, which has already seen the addition of a second Dumbo ride with a unique queue and will soon allow guests to experience The Little Mermaid dark ride, Enchanted Tales With Belle meet-and-greet, dining at the Be Our Guest restaurant and more to come in 2013 and 2014 including a Snow White and Seven Dwarfs roller coaster.

San Diego Zoo Safari Park vs. Disney's Animal Kingdom

Disney's Animal Kingdom is on par with the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, the sister attraction of the world-renowned San Diego Zoo. While not a Disney property, the Safari Park can easily be reached during a Southern California vacation by driving about two hours south of Anaheim. Both parks offer animal exhibit trails and safari-like rides through natural-looking landscapes. The Animal Kingdom (the largest of all the Disney parks) is just 500 acres compared to the mammoth-sized 1,800-acre Safari Park. Disney offers more in terms of rides, such as the Expedition Everest roller coaster, but the Safari Park offers a thrilling zip-line over the park.

Epcot

Epcot is home to a multitude of rides, live shows, movies, and restaurants found at no other Disney park. Beth Tancredi Keklak, a family travel blogger for the family travel site, Trekaroo, says, "For me, the existence of Epcot is enough of a reason to choose Disney World [over Disneyland]." Twice the size of the Magic Kingdom, it is divided into two lands: Future World and World Showcase.

The two most popular unique-to-Epcot rides are Mission: SPACE, and the fastest Disney ride, Test Track. For travel lovers like me, however, the real draw is World Showcase, which takes park-goers on a make believe immersive journey through 11 countries.

There are a handful of Epcot attractions that you can find at the Disney parks in California. While Epcot has Soarin', California Adventure Park offers Soarin' Over California. Turtle Talk with Crush can also be found at California Adventure. The Seas with Nemo & Friends in Future World is similar to the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage at Disneyland. Innoventions and the 3-D film, Captain EO Starring Michael Jackson, are available at both Epcot and Disneyland.

Additional Considerations

Walt Disney World is the most popular amusement park in the world, with nearly 17 million visitors per year according to Travel + Leisure magazine. Disneyland is not far behind, with nearly 16 million visitors according to the same study.

Travelers have more accommodation options to choose from in Orlando, with nearly 30 Disney hotels and resorts compared to Anaheim's three. Then again, all guests staying at a Disney-owned hotel in California are within walking distance to both parks and Downtown Disney, while those in Florida need to board buses, boats, and Monorails to visit parks. There are also plentiful nearby "Good Neighbor" hotels recommended by Disney in Anaheim at which visitors can rest their amusement park-weary bodies.

Both Disney World and Disneyland have a Downtown Disney shopping, dining and entertainment district. Florida also boasts Disney's Boardwalk, home to even more stores, restaurants and bars.

Because Disney World is so much more expansive, it has some experiences that simply cannot be found in California, including two waterparks, Disney's Blizzard Beach ad Disney's Typhoon Lagoon.

Keryn Means of the WalkingOn Travels blog says, "I still remember touring the different countries in Epcot and collecting flags. I know this inspired my future travels and wanderlust, something I would not have gotten if we went to Disneyland."

Disney World's massive size, however, can also be seen as a disadvantage. Mary Penafiel Solio, author of The World Is A Book blog, says, "Disney World is huge and spread out and can be quite exhausting. A visit to Disneyland is more convenient and manageable, especially with smaller kids."

Disney World is typically seen as a week-long destination whereas Disneyland is often just one part of a Southern California vacation. Many travelers spend a few days visiting the Anaheim Disney parks before moving on to explore neighboring Los Angeles or San Diego.

Miner of The Vacation Gals says, "Up until recently, Disneyland just couldn't compare to Walt Disney World in terms of a total theme park immersion trip. However, the new California Adventure is incredible [and] firmly puts Disneyland at least on par with any WDW theme park --- and in my mind, surpasses them."

Some Disney fans, like Steve Pratt, author of the More Kids Than Suitcases blog, see Disneyland as superior to Disney World because it is the original park envisioned by Walt Disney. Disneyland opened in 1955, while Disney World (initially just the Magic Kingdom), opened in 1971. Pratt says, "There is only one park that has Walt's personal impression on it. Disney World is bigger and newer, but that's not what the Disney parks are about. The magic came from Walt, and Disneyland is the park that he built. My kids, who are ride junkies, said it best, 'We want to go back to Disney World for the rides, but we want to go back to Disneyland for the Disney.'"

Disney park preferences tend to separate West Coast-dwellers from East Coast-inhabitants. Over lunch in Epcot's Germany pavilion on a recent Disney World trip, my family was seated with a Floridian couple who had annual Disney World passes. When I asked if they ever visited Disneyland, the wife said, "We did, years ago. But why would we go all the way to California when Disney World has so much more to offer here."

California residents, however, point out the superior weather in Anaheim. Sharlene Earnshaw, Trekaroo editor-in-chief, says, "I will take 75 [degrees Fahrenheit] and sunny over 98 [degrees] with 95 percent humidity and deluges of rain any day. I will always have allegiance to Disneyland because I am a Southern California girl but the weather in Orlando really is too much for me."

No matter which park you prefer, there is no denying both embody that ethereal Disney magic.

Which do you think is better, Florida's Walt Disney World or California's Disneyland?

Colleen Lanin is the founder/editor of TravelMamas.com, a site for anyone who wants to travel with children…and stay sane! She is a regular contributor to the TODAY Show travel blog on msnbc.com. She is also a blogging consultant and instructor.